Warp-knitted fastener tapes

ABSTRACT

A warp-knitted tape for slide fasteners is provided with a reinforcing core or core extending between two adjacent wales longitudinally along the inner edge of the tape. The core or cores are stabilized in position by means of tension applied by at least two fastening threads laid in coursewise from opposite directions, one of which fastening threads is arranged to overlie the core and the other to underlie the core, thereby preventing the core from displacement relative to the tape.

United States Patent Matsuda Feb. ll, 1975 [54] WARP-KNITTED FASTENER TAPES 3,570,270 3/1971 Koppenburg ..66/ 190 3,757,541 91973 F hl' h 66 9 [75] Inventor: Yoshio Matsuda, Nyuzen-machi, m H 3 Japan Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum [73] Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson. Van

Tokyo, Japan Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 ABSTRACT [21] Appl 427,848 A warp-knitted tape for slide fasteners is provided with a reinforcing core or core extending between two 1 [52] U.S. Cl. 66/193 adjacent Wales longitudinally along inner edge 511 Int. Cl D04b 23/08 the p The core or cores are stabilizcd in position 581 Field of Search 66/86 R, 190, 192, 193, by means of tension applied by at least two fastening 66/l95; 139/384 B; 24/205,16 threads laid in coursewise from opposite directions. one of which fastening threads is arranged to overlie [56] References Cited the core and the other to underlie the core, thereby UNITED STATES PATENTS preventing the core from displacement relative to the t 757,851 4/1904 Waitzfelder 66/193 ape 1,734,165 11/1929 French 139/384 B 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures WARP-KNITTED FASTENER TAPES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to slide fasteners and particularly to supporting stringer tapes of a warp-knitted structure for mounting thereon rows of interlocking fastener elements.

There are known various types of warp-knitted tapes for use in the field of slide fasteners or zippers. However, due primarily to their coarse network, the knitted tapes have suffered from reduced mechanical strength and less dimensional stability compared to woven fabric tapes, and the fastener elements mounted thereon were prone to become displaced from their properly aligned position or disengaged from the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape along which they are secured. Heretofore, reinforcing cores were mostly interwoven with fastener tapes of woven fabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is therefore aimed at the provision of a warp-knittedstringer tape having a longitudinal inner edge portion for mountinga row of fastener elements, which edge portion is thickened or otherwise rendered sufficiently bulky by the incorporation of a reinforcing core between adjacent wales and fastening weft threads laid in to fasten the core therebetween in addition to weft threads extending transversely in the system of the tape, and which is thus reinforced to provide increased dimensional stability such that the fastener elements can be retained firmly in position therealong against displacement relative to the tape. The term reinforcing core includes relatively thick threads, stranded yarns and the like which may be of textile or plastic materials.

It is to such warp-knitted fastener tapes that the principles of the invention is applied in the manner described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example some preferred embodiments which the invention may assume in practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a warp-knitted stringer tape provided in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a similar view but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Like reference characters denote like parts throughout these views.

Referring now to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown a supporting stringer tape T of a warp-knitted structure comprising wales W W W W and so on which are formed by suitable warp stitches such as open-pillar stitches as shown and weft threads laid in to connect the wales coursewise as is well known in art of warp-knitting. A reinforcing core 11 is provided for strengthening the longitudinal inner edge portion 12 of the tape T along which the fastener elements (not shown) are secured. The core 11 is inserted in an interwale groove 13 formed between the first or innermost wale W and the second wale W at the longitudinal inner edge portion 12 and extends longitudinally substantially to full length of the tape T.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, there are provided additional weft threads 14, 15 preferably thicker or larger than the weft threads 10 for fastening the reinforcing core 11 in place between the first and second wales W and W against displacement relative to the tape T. The weft threads 10 laid in at the longitudinal edge portion 12 are arranged to run alternately over and under the reinforcing core 11. The first fastening weft thread 14 is laid in from one direction to overlie the core 11, while the second fastening weft thread 15 is laid in from the opposite direction 'to underlie the core 11. Successive loops 14a of the first fastening threads 14 alternate with successive loops 15a of the second fastening threads 15 so that their respective turns 14b and 15b are not overlapped or superimposed one upon the other when seen in projection to the place of the stringer tape T. This arrangement ensures that the reinforcing core 11 be stabilized in position with uniform distribution of tension offered by the fastening threads 14, 15 throughout the length of the tape T, and that thus the longitudinal inner edge portion 12 of the tape T be held sufficiently dimensionally stable to support thereon a row of fastener elements in the proper alignment.

Reference to FIG. 2 shows a modified form of warpknitted stringer tape T according to the invention which is characterized by the provision of two reinforcing cores 11a and 11b which are likewise accommodated in the interwale groove 13 formed between thefirst or innermost wale W and the second wale W at the longitudinal inner edge portion 12. It will be seen that the two cores 11a and 11b are superimposed one upon the other with respect to the plane of the stringer tape T and secured in position by two fastening weft threads 14 and 15 provided in addition to the weft threads 10 which constitute the web of the tape T.

The weft threads 10 extending along the longitudinal inner edge portion 12 of the tape T are arranged to run between the two superimposed cores 11a and 11b. The first and second fastening weft threads 14 and 15 are laid in from opposite directions with their respective loops 14a and l5-1-alternating with each other so that the respective t'urns 14b and 15b of these loops at the wales W and W are not overlapped when seen in projection to the plane of the tape T. The first fastening thread 14 overlies the upper reinforcing core 11a, while the second fastening thread 15 underlies the lower reinforcing core 11b, these fastening threads forming a so-called marquisette pattern with the wales W W whereby the two superimposed cores 11a and 11b are anchored firmly in position without being displaced relative to each other. The second embodiment just described is advantageous in that the edge portion 12 of the tape is thickened to provide greater stability as regards the dimensions and form of the tape T as desired for mounting fastener elements of relatively large size.

What is claimed is:

l. A supporting stringer tape for slide fasteners which comprises a warp-knitted structure comprising wales of longitudinally extending warp stitches connected coursewise by transversely extending weft threads, a reinforcing core inserted between two adjacent wales at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape along which a row of fastener elements is secured, and a first fastening weft thread laid in from one direction to overlie said reinforcing core and a second fastening weft thread laid in from the opposite direction to underlie said reinforcing core, said first and second fastening threads interconnecting at least said two adjacent wales. v

2. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said transversely extending weft threads at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape are arranged to pass alternately over and under said reinforcing core. a

3. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second fastening threads have their respective turns spaced one from another longitudinally along said two adjacent wales.

4. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second fastening threads are thicker and stronger than said transversely extending weft threads.

5. A supporting stringer tape for slide fasteners which comprises a warp-knitted structure comprising wales of longitudinally extending warp stitches connected coursewise by transversely extending weft threads, two reinforcing cores superimposed one upon the other with respect to the place of the tape and inserted between two adjacent wales at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape along which a row of the fastener elements is secured, and a first fastening weft thread laid in from one direction to overlie the upper one of said two reinforcing cores and a second fastening weft thread laid in from the opposite direction to underlie the lower one of said cores, said first and second fastening threads having their respective turns spaced one from another longitudinally along said two adjacent wales, and said transversely. extending weft threads at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape passing between said upper and lower cores.

' =l l l l= I J'NITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN PATENT N0. 3,864, 946 DATED February 11, 1975 INVENTOR(S) Yoshio Matsuda It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Please add the-following information to the cover page:

--[30] Foreign Application Priority Data December 29, 1972 japan. 48 -2475--.

Signed and Sealed this Twentieth Day of July 1976 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner nj'Parenrs and Trademarks 

1. A supporting stringer tape for slide fasteners which comprises a warp-knitted structure comprising wales of longitudinally extending warp stitches connected coursewise by transversely extending weft threads, a reinforcing core inserted between two adjacent wales at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape along which a row of fastener elements is secured, and a first fastening weft thread laid in from one direction to overlie said reinforcing core and a second fastening weft thread laid in from the opposite direction to underlie said reinforcing core, said first and second fastening threads interconnecting at least said two adjacent wales.
 2. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said transversely extending weft threads at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape are arranged to pass alternately over and under said reinforcing core.
 3. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second fastening threads have their respective turns spaced one from another longitudinally along said two adjacent wales.
 4. The supporting stringer tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second fastening threads are thicker and stronger than said transversely extending weft threads.
 5. A supporting stringer tape for slide fasteners which comprises a warp-knitted structure comprising wales of longitudinally extending warp stitches connected coursewise by transversely extending weft threads, two reinforcing cores superimposed one upon the other with respect to the place of the tape and inserted between two adjacent wales at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape along which a row of the fastener elements is secured, and a first fastening weft thread laid in from one direction to overlie the upper one of said two reinforcing cores and a second fastening weft thread laid in from the opposite direction to underlie the lower one of said cores, said first and second fastening threads having their respective turns spaced one from another longitudinally along said two adjacent wales, and said transversely extending weft threads at the longitudinal inner edge portion of the tape passing between said upper and lower cores. 